Music can do wonders to improve our mood, but did you know it can also provide a brain boost, especially in children? There have been numerous studies that prove how much music can help with the brain and children’s development. Let’s explore the impact! The information may surprise you!
Music and Brain Development
Music can have a big impact on brain development. Research has shown that music training before the age of seven can change the brain’s structure and function. One study uncovered that the white matter in the corpus callosum can increase, which results in more brain connectivity.
Early music training can also increase the gray matter in the cerebral cortex. This is the part of the brain that’s in charge of sensory and motor skills. The improved coordination can also help to control emotions. This can help to prevent kids from overreacting and help them handle frustration better. Other findings discovered that musical training can increase the blood flow in the left side of the brain which can help them process language better.
Music and Spatial Reasoning
Engaging young children in music classes can help with their spatial and temporal reasoning skills. Research by psychologist Dr. Frances Rauscher and neuroscientist Gordon Shaw discovered that children who took music lessons did better on those types of tasks compared with kids who took computer lessons. Classical music has been found to be especially helpful when it comes to spatial reasoning in children. This may be because classical music is more mathematical and more complex than other types of music.
You don’t only want kids to listen to music, you want them to play it as well. This can impact spatial reasoning. Researchers found that children who took piano lessons for six months improved their ability to finish puzzles and do other spatial tasks by as much as 30%. Many believe that musical instructions make new pathways in the brain that help with these types of tasks.
Music and IQ
The impact music can have on a child’s IQ is important as well. In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, researchers found that music lessons seemed to improve a child’s IQ and academic performance. They also uncovered that the longer the children study music, the more of a positive effect it has on them.
Strengthening the Brain’s Executive Functions
A 2014 study found that learning a musical instrument improves and strengthens the brain’s executive functions. The brain’s executive functions cover things like problem-solving, controlling behavior, and making good choices. These are all skills that can help kids as they grow up.
Music and Social Development
While we all want our kids’ brains to develop, you don’t want to forget about their social development. A study from the Florida International University’s Community Based Research Institute found that school music groups have a positive impact on the “5 C’s of social development”. These are competence, confidence, caring, character, and connection. After studying children learning music in an orchestra setting, they found that these children all showed an increase in all of the 5 C’s of social development.
Music and Multisensory Skills
Music can also impact multisensory skills because it requires children to process sights, sounds, and touch simultaneously. This can help children multitask when they are faced with different sounds and images at the same time. Adults can certainly use these skills too!
Music and Babies
Kids don’t have to wait until they get older to get all of the benefits of music. A study at McMaster University found that babies who were part of an interactive music class had better communication skills and smiled more! Many people believe that exposing babies to some form of music at a young age leads to happier babies. We’re all for that!
There’s also research that shows that after babies listen to music, their auditory and prefrontal cortexes look different. These are the parts of the brain in charge of processing music and speech. Let the music play!
Music at world song schools
At our world song schools location in Huron Village, kids are getting all of these brain boosts! Under the Montessori Method, our teachers bring the gift of music every day. Kids get to take part in singalongs, games, and more. We believe that even our littlest babies can get the benefits that music has to offer. We hope you agree!
We love to encourage our families to bring music into their homes as well. Let us know how you do that by commenting below!